# Does Perfume has a shelf life or go bad?



## shrsandra (Dec 4, 2008)

I have some old perfume that I love and was wondering if it goes bad or has a shelf life.


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## pinksugar (Dec 4, 2008)

yes, it certainly does. Also, light affects how long they last.

Perfumes keep longest stored inside their boxes out of direct sunlight


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## Adrienne (Dec 4, 2008)

Also, where you store them makes a big difference. Heat, humidity, any dramatic temp changes on the perfumes change their scent. You don't want to store them in your bathroom cabinet for example.


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## Aprill (Dec 4, 2008)

The darker and cooler the storage place for perfumes, the better


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## Kathy (Dec 4, 2008)

You can tell when they've kind of gone bad. They don't smell the same.


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## Dianergy (Dec 4, 2008)

I have a bottle of patchouli oil that a friend gave me twenty four years ago, and it's still good. I keep it in a black wooden box.


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## magosienne (Dec 4, 2008)

They definitely have a shelf life, if the color has changed or it doesn't smell the same, just toss it. I keep my bottles in their packaging inside a drawer, and never had any problem.


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## Aniger86 (Dec 30, 2008)

I've never thought of this. I keep my perfumes in the cupboard, along with the rest of my face care items, and they seem to keep well for a couple years, even when they have been opened before.


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## pinksugar (Dec 30, 2008)

my sister is the worst - she has them out in her bathroom without their boxes. Eek!


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## LovinMakeup (Dec 30, 2008)

Gosh- I don't guess I've ever really worried about this before. Hmmmm.....maybe I should move them out of my bathroom!


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## afternoonchai (Dec 30, 2008)

The bathroom is the worst place to store your fragrances in. TheyÂ´re best kept in a dark, cool place away from sunlight. They should last at least a few years, many do last much longer if stored correctly.


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## butterflyblue (Jan 21, 2009)

I read that perfume lasts around 3 years. Then it starts to lose it original smell slowly.

I have smelled old testers in stores and they you know they are old they stink!


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## Blueeyesangel18 (Mar 12, 2009)

gosh I never knew they should be kept in a dark place I may move them into a drawer, I keep mine on my vanity directly across from the window!


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## HairEgo (Mar 13, 2009)

I've never had any of my perfumes go bad on me...and i'm a bit of a perfume whore...i have like 5 or 6 bottles going at once


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## Bec688 (Mar 13, 2009)

They certainly do! It's best to store them in a cool dark place and preferrably still in their boxes, heat and light are perfumes worst enemies! I have had ONE perfume of mine go bad on me, and that was because i left it out of its box sitting on my desk and it was in sunlight all day, it completely destroyed its smell and I had to chuck it.


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## corena (Mar 13, 2009)

They will also evaporate


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## spijjen (Mar 21, 2009)

I think they do...

I find that my perfumes smell different after a while...not always BAD, but different. It's like they're not so fresh anymore.


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## gommiebears (Mar 29, 2009)

Yes most definately. If improperly stored, it smells pretty rancorous.


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## corena (Mar 31, 2009)

gets stronger, I think.


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## Doya G (Apr 26, 2009)

wow i never knew this...

maybe cuz my perfumes never last that long anyway..

hmm..


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## Dawn (May 12, 2009)

My old perfumes have definitely gotten stronger.


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